the Prepared Homemaker

And that servant, which knew his LORD’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes… For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:47

How much knowledge of righteous homemaking has been committed unto you? How well do you know what God’s Word says about women’s roles and so on? And, how confident are you about the LORD’s will in regard to being a wife, mother, homemaker? (Go ahead and answer that last one in the comments below if you’d like to share your thoughts)

Your Homemaking Knowledge and Skills

If you’re brand new to Christian homemaking, and still trying to figure this all out, don’t become frustrated by what you don’t get done each day and don’t beat yourself up over a lack of knowledge or skill. Don’t let that be an excuse to continue in sin though either. Get the mindset, education and training you need.

What if you’re on the other side of the fence though and you actually do know quite a bit about homemaking, as well as what the Bible says about women’s roles? If you do know (know is the operative word here) what is expected of you, in other words, if you know the LORD’s will for women is to be busy in the home, then you know a decent amount and that amount is required of you.

Knowing what is required of you is the first step. The second is doing the good you do know to do. (See James 4:17)

You Know God Expects You to be a Good Homemaker

If you know and believe that God’s written will for Christian wives is to be diligent and busy in their homes, (and it is, yes even for today’s woman) your third step is found in the first part of that passage: “And that servant, which knew his LORD’s will, and prepared not himself…”

“Prepared”

Are you prepared? Have you gotten things ready to set yourself up as a faithful and diligent homemaker?

No need to let panic set in here. I’d venture to say that most American women have not done much to set themselves up for virtuous homemaking. With the universal idea that homemaking is useless and obsolete, it’s no wonder.

Why prepare yourself, or your daughters, for something that is no longer needed? Teaching girls the art of homemaking is on par to teaching them candle dipping. It might be a quaint idea and fun for a Saturday afternoon, but like homemaking, it’s archaic and old-fashioned. Or so they would have you believe.

Yet God’s Word says otherwise.

Becoming Prepared

Now that your mind has been renewed, we can get into the fourth step, which is becoming prepared for Christian homemaking. First, what are the basics of homemaking? Get those squared away in your mind and you’re well on your way to being fully prepared.

Here is a list of what I would consider foundational homemaking elements:

• Knowledge of what God says about homemaking, etc
• Time management
• General homemaking skills (cooking, cleaning, laundry, finances, etc)
• Household organization

It’s a short list, but there is a lot packed into each bullet point. A lifetime’s worth, really.

Knowledge of what God says about Homemaking

A knowledge of what the Bible says about homemaking would include Scripture such as Proverbs 31 and Titus 2, but also passages about good works, long-suffering, thankfulness and un-idleness.

Time Management

Being prepared to manage your time well would include a knowledge of schedules, routines or other ways and tips to manage your time.

General Homemaking Skills

Often, homemakers can get stuck believing that because they don’t cook or clean as good as they believe others do, that they are failing. In all honesty though, every homemaker has areas where they excel and areas that need work. Even so, we should always look for ways to grow as a homemaker, and take what we do know and share that knowledge with others.

Household Organization

With the internet today, there is so much that can be learned about household organization. The dollar stores in your area often carry a decent selection of cute baskets and bins to aid in organization. And, even if you don’t enjoy the process, the end result will bring joy.

Live out your calling friend, with confidence in Him who called you, and with joy and thankfulness.